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src/epistolary/00060.md
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src/epistolary/00061.md
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src/epistolary/00062.md
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src/epistolary/00063.md
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src/notes.md
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src/acknowledgements.md
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src/afterword.md
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@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
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---
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title: 00063
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created: Tue, 14 Feb 2023 07:01:53 -0700
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updated: Tue, 14 Feb 2023 07:01:54 -0700
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public: yes
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syndicated: yes
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---
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### 00063 {#00063}
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> "Greetings, Great One." Inky bows, back parallel to the ground while
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> they stand on the branch, now a humanoid child in a black uniform and
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> matching bookbag hanging under one arm. The banana boat is nowhere in
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> sight. Fuko follows her errant charge and the cloaked figure from a
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> nearby branch.
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>
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> "This lowly one wonders if they may be permitted to seek the Great
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> Spirit's insight, whose wisdom endures before and beyond." Inky
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> begins, staring down the blurry reflection of silver boughs overhead
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> on the polished toes of their black shoes. They notice idly they do
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> not see themselves in the reflection.
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>
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> Straightening from the bow, they look up at the figure and hold out a
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> plate of taiyaki. After a moment, the child asks haltingly, "There
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> may come a day when this one will be asked to choose between the
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> chance to protect many and that which they desire to protect most.
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> Should this one choose equally? Will the choice matter if both paths
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> eventually lead to destruction? Could destruction and salvation be
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> two sides of the same coin?"
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You and the Dude are sitting in small upholstered chairs, across a
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small half table from each other. There is a large sticky bun on a
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white lacy doily on the table. Next to you is a small portal-sized
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window, and outside you can see green rolling hills and small copses
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of trees fly by. The other seats on the small train car are all
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empty. The two of you are alone.
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"I cannot give you advice," the Dude says. "But I can offer you
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experience."
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They raise a hand and hold a loosely closed fist out over the table.
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The walls of the train become fuzzy and blurry, then translucent, and
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finally transparent. They disappear and you have the sensation of
|
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rocketing through space at dizzying speeds.
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The track splits ahead you. To one side, bound to one track is that
|
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which you desire to protect most. Bound to the other are the many.
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|
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"You can choose safely here. It's just a dream, after all." The Dude
|
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opens their fist. The Twenty-one Fiver coin rests in their palm.
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"Heads, you steer the train into the many, sparing that which you
|
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love most. Tails, the opposite. You spare the many, and sacrifice
|
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that which you hold dear." They hold the coin out to you.
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The train barrels toward the fork. "But choose quickly, lest the
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choice be made for you."
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> Alex scrambles from the wreckage of his mech, or what remained from
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> the gore portal he'd just experienced. The thought of what had
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> occurred made him grimace, which was an unusual state of affairs for
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> an octopus, that is until Alex realized he seemed to be back in his
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> own body.
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>
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> "Sunset, or perhaps rise? It's hard to tell. Pretty though.. could be
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> prettier without the creepy knife dude." Alex mutters to himself
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> while he rummages through the destroyed cockpit of the mech. He makes
|
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> quick work, detaches a side panel, pulls a couple of wires, and a
|
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> compartment in the back opens revealing the smooth dark blue metal
|
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> and wood grain of an ak74u sub machine gun. Amused Alex pulls the
|
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> weapon from the compartment and notices a distinct lack of additional
|
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> magazines, just the one large drum attached to the weapon with large
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> red letters emblazoned on it [INFINITE AMMO]. "Neat."
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>
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> Alex pulls himself from the wreck, and jumps down behind one of the
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> fallen tentacles taking a firing position behind cover, ak74u aimed
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> down range at the faceless figure.
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>
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> "I don't know who you are, but I don't trust anyone who approaches
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> with a weapon. Let's both stand down and talk this through! I'm not
|
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> supposed to be here, and I reckon you don't want me here either. I'd
|
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> be happy to oblige and skidaddle if you'd be so kind as to point the
|
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> way out!" Alex pauses waiting for a reply.
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|
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The tall figure halts a short distance away. It raises a hand and
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waves. In greeting? Surrender? In a fluid motion it continues to lift
|
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the same hand and grabs a hold of its trunk, a little less than a
|
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foot from the tip. It squeezes its fist tightly and the tip begins to
|
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swell. It raises its other hand, and the knife, and starts to saw
|
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into the flesh of the trunk behind its fist. The blade cuts cleanly
|
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as though through a loaf of bread. There is no blood or gore.
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|
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When the creature lowers its hand, you can see that the center of the
|
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trunk is a solid, bright pink fleshy material like a grapefruit, in
|
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the center of which are two pin-prick eyes and a wide thin gash of a
|
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mouth.
|
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|
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It still holds the tip of its severed trunk in its hand, a thin stalk
|
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and a bulging cap looking for all the world like a large white button
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mushroom. Peering up from the stem of the mushroom, an identical pink
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face regards you stoically.
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Both faces speak at the exact same time, one high pitched and one a
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deep baritone. "Welcome, Dreamer, to Ousia, the Sea of Dreams. We are
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Kasutva."
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Big Kasutva stoops down to set the small mushroom Kasutva down on the
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ground. If they're both Kasutva, that is. If that's the way their
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biology and sense of self actually works. Mushroom Kasutva wobbles
|
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side to side a little bit and waggles its stalk as it looks around.
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Big Kasutva places its knife back in its satchel and takes a few
|
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small steps closer to you.
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"We did not mean to offend you," the two say, still perfectly in
|
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sync. "As for the way out, that depends only somewhat on your
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destination. Whatever the answer, we can assure you that it lies
|
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across the sea." Large Kasutva gestures broadly toward the expanse of
|
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ocean. Small Kasutva lacks any limbs and cannot gesture, but smiles
|
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softly at you.
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"But tell us what it is you seek. Perhaps we can be of help."
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WHAT DO YOU DO
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Binary file not shown.
Binary file not shown.
103
www/index.html
103
www/index.html
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@ -286,6 +286,7 @@
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<li><a href="#00060" id="toc-00060">00060</a></li>
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<li><a href="#00061" id="toc-00061">00061</a></li>
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<li><a href="#00062" id="toc-00062">00062</a></li>
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<li><a href="#00063" id="toc-00063">00063</a></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="#afterword" id="toc-afterword">Afterword</a></li>
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<li><a href="#appendix-a-dramatis-personae"
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@ -359,11 +360,11 @@ into the <a href="#current-story">current story arc</a>.</p>
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you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
|
||||
the rss feed</a>.</p>
|
||||
<h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
|
||||
<p>Total length: 80312 words / 343 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
|
||||
<p>Total length: 81317 words / 347 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
|
||||
length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not
|
||||
just the story.)</p>
|
||||
<p>There have been 217 messages posted over 215 days since the first
|
||||
post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.00.</p>
|
||||
<p>There have been 221 messages posted over 217 days since the first
|
||||
post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.01.</p>
|
||||
<h2 id="chapter-1">Chapter 1</h2>
|
||||
<p>This is the first installment of BASEMENT QUEST.</p>
|
||||
<p>Jump to: <a href="#00001">1</a> <a href="#00002">2</a> <a
|
||||
|
|
@ -6630,6 +6631,102 @@ rainbow colored light crackling along the inside illuminating very
|
|||
little of the smoke-filled interior.</p>
|
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<p>“What is it you seek from Dude 215R?”</p>
|
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<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
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<h3 id="00063">00063</h3>
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<blockquote>
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<p>“Greetings, Great One.” Inky bows, back parallel to the ground while
|
||||
they stand on the branch, now a humanoid child in a black uniform and
|
||||
matching bookbag hanging under one arm. The banana boat is nowhere in
|
||||
sight. Fuko follows her errant charge and the cloaked figure from a
|
||||
nearby branch.</p>
|
||||
<p>“This lowly one wonders if they may be permitted to seek the Great
|
||||
Spirit’s insight, whose wisdom endures before and beyond.” Inky begins,
|
||||
staring down the blurry reflection of silver boughs overhead on the
|
||||
polished toes of their black shoes. They notice idly they do not see
|
||||
themselves in the reflection.</p>
|
||||
<p>Straightening from the bow, they look up at the figure and hold out a
|
||||
plate of taiyaki. After a moment, the child asks haltingly, “There may
|
||||
come a day when this one will be asked to choose between the chance to
|
||||
protect many and that which they desire to protect most. Should this one
|
||||
choose equally? Will the choice matter if both paths eventually lead to
|
||||
destruction? Could destruction and salvation be two sides of the same
|
||||
coin?”</p>
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
<p>You and the Dude are sitting in small upholstered chairs, across a
|
||||
small half table from each other. There is a large sticky bun on a white
|
||||
lacy doily on the table. Next to you is a small portal-sized window, and
|
||||
outside you can see green rolling hills and small copses of trees fly
|
||||
by. The other seats on the small train car are all empty. The two of you
|
||||
are alone.</p>
|
||||
<p>“I cannot give you advice,” the Dude says. “But I can offer you
|
||||
experience.”</p>
|
||||
<p>They raise a hand and hold a loosely closed fist out over the table.
|
||||
The walls of the train become fuzzy and blurry, then translucent, and
|
||||
finally transparent. They disappear and you have the sensation of
|
||||
rocketing through space at dizzying speeds.</p>
|
||||
<p>The track splits ahead you. To one side, bound to one track is that
|
||||
which you desire to protect most. Bound to the other are the many.</p>
|
||||
<p>“You can choose safely here. It’s just a dream, after all.” The Dude
|
||||
opens their fist. The Twenty-one Fiver coin rests in their palm. “Heads,
|
||||
you steer the train into the many, sparing that which you love most.
|
||||
Tails, the opposite. You spare the many, and sacrifice that which you
|
||||
hold dear.” They hold the coin out to you.</p>
|
||||
<p>The train barrels toward the fork. “But choose quickly, lest the
|
||||
choice be made for you.”</p>
|
||||
<blockquote>
|
||||
<p>Alex scrambles from the wreckage of his mech, or what remained from
|
||||
the gore portal he’d just experienced. The thought of what had occurred
|
||||
made him grimace, which was an unusual state of affairs for an octopus,
|
||||
that is until Alex realized he seemed to be back in his own body.</p>
|
||||
<p>“Sunset, or perhaps rise? It’s hard to tell. Pretty though.. could be
|
||||
prettier without the creepy knife dude.” Alex mutters to himself while
|
||||
he rummages through the destroyed cockpit of the mech. He makes quick
|
||||
work, detaches a side panel, pulls a couple of wires, and a compartment
|
||||
in the back opens revealing the smooth dark blue metal and wood grain of
|
||||
an ak74u sub machine gun. Amused Alex pulls the weapon from the
|
||||
compartment and notices a distinct lack of additional magazines, just
|
||||
the one large drum attached to the weapon with large red letters
|
||||
emblazoned on it [INFINITE AMMO]. “Neat.”</p>
|
||||
<p>Alex pulls himself from the wreck, and jumps down behind one of the
|
||||
fallen tentacles taking a firing position behind cover, ak74u aimed down
|
||||
range at the faceless figure.</p>
|
||||
<p>“I don’t know who you are, but I don’t trust anyone who approaches
|
||||
with a weapon. Let’s both stand down and talk this through! I’m not
|
||||
supposed to be here, and I reckon you don’t want me here either. I’d be
|
||||
happy to oblige and skidaddle if you’d be so kind as to point the way
|
||||
out!” Alex pauses waiting for a reply.</p>
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
<p>The tall figure halts a short distance away. It raises a hand and
|
||||
waves. In greeting? Surrender? In a fluid motion it continues to lift
|
||||
the same hand and grabs a hold of its trunk, a little less than a foot
|
||||
from the tip. It squeezes its fist tightly and the tip begins to swell.
|
||||
It raises its other hand, and the knife, and starts to saw into the
|
||||
flesh of the trunk behind its fist. The blade cuts cleanly as though
|
||||
through a loaf of bread. There is no blood or gore.</p>
|
||||
<p>When the creature lowers its hand, you can see that the center of the
|
||||
trunk is a solid, bright pink fleshy material like a grapefruit, in the
|
||||
center of which are two pin-prick eyes and a wide thin gash of a
|
||||
mouth.</p>
|
||||
<p>It still holds the tip of its severed trunk in its hand, a thin stalk
|
||||
and a bulging cap looking for all the world like a large white button
|
||||
mushroom. Peering up from the stem of the mushroom, an identical pink
|
||||
face regards you stoically.</p>
|
||||
<p>Both faces speak at the exact same time, one high pitched and one a
|
||||
deep baritone. “Welcome, Dreamer, to Ousia, the Sea of Dreams. We are
|
||||
Kasutva.”</p>
|
||||
<p>Big Kasutva stoops down to set the small mushroom Kasutva down on the
|
||||
ground. If they’re both Kasutva, that is. If that’s the way their
|
||||
biology and sense of self actually works. Mushroom Kasutva wobbles side
|
||||
to side a little bit and waggles its stalk as it looks around. Big
|
||||
Kasutva places its knife back in its satchel and takes a few small steps
|
||||
closer to you.</p>
|
||||
<p>“We did not mean to offend you,” the two say, still perfectly in
|
||||
sync. “As for the way out, that depends only somewhat on your
|
||||
destination. Whatever the answer, we can assure you that it lies across
|
||||
the sea.” Large Kasutva gestures broadly toward the expanse of ocean.
|
||||
Small Kasutva lacks any limbs and cannot gesture, but smiles softly at
|
||||
you.</p>
|
||||
<p>“But tell us what it is you seek. Perhaps we can be of help.”</p>
|
||||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
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<h2 id="afterword">Afterword</h2>
|
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<p>I don’t know what I’m going to put here, but I didn’t want this
|
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document to just abruptly end. So here you go: a kind farewell and a
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|
|
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1115
www/rss.xml
1115
www/rss.xml
File diff suppressed because it is too large
Load Diff
|
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@ -286,6 +286,7 @@
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<li><a href="#00060" id="toc-00060">00060</a></li>
|
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<li><a href="#00061" id="toc-00061">00061</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#00062" id="toc-00062">00062</a></li>
|
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<li><a href="#00063" id="toc-00063">00063</a></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="#spoilers" id="toc-spoilers">Spoilers</a></li>
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<li><a href="#acknowledgements"
|
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|
|
@ -362,11 +363,11 @@ into the <a href="#current-story">current story arc</a>.</p>
|
|||
you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
|
||||
the rss feed</a>.</p>
|
||||
<h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
|
||||
<p>Total length: 80312 words / 343 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
|
||||
<p>Total length: 81317 words / 347 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
|
||||
length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not
|
||||
just the story.)</p>
|
||||
<p>There have been 217 messages posted over 215 days since the first
|
||||
post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.00.</p>
|
||||
<p>There have been 221 messages posted over 217 days since the first
|
||||
post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.01.</p>
|
||||
<h2 id="chapter-1">Chapter 1</h2>
|
||||
<p>This is the first installment of BASEMENT QUEST.</p>
|
||||
<p>Jump to: <a href="#00001">1</a> <a href="#00002">2</a> <a
|
||||
|
|
@ -6633,6 +6634,102 @@ rainbow colored light crackling along the inside illuminating very
|
|||
little of the smoke-filled interior.</p>
|
||||
<p>“What is it you seek from Dude 215R?”</p>
|
||||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
||||
<h3 id="00063">00063</h3>
|
||||
<blockquote>
|
||||
<p>“Greetings, Great One.” Inky bows, back parallel to the ground while
|
||||
they stand on the branch, now a humanoid child in a black uniform and
|
||||
matching bookbag hanging under one arm. The banana boat is nowhere in
|
||||
sight. Fuko follows her errant charge and the cloaked figure from a
|
||||
nearby branch.</p>
|
||||
<p>“This lowly one wonders if they may be permitted to seek the Great
|
||||
Spirit’s insight, whose wisdom endures before and beyond.” Inky begins,
|
||||
staring down the blurry reflection of silver boughs overhead on the
|
||||
polished toes of their black shoes. They notice idly they do not see
|
||||
themselves in the reflection.</p>
|
||||
<p>Straightening from the bow, they look up at the figure and hold out a
|
||||
plate of taiyaki. After a moment, the child asks haltingly, “There may
|
||||
come a day when this one will be asked to choose between the chance to
|
||||
protect many and that which they desire to protect most. Should this one
|
||||
choose equally? Will the choice matter if both paths eventually lead to
|
||||
destruction? Could destruction and salvation be two sides of the same
|
||||
coin?”</p>
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
<p>You and the Dude are sitting in small upholstered chairs, across a
|
||||
small half table from each other. There is a large sticky bun on a white
|
||||
lacy doily on the table. Next to you is a small portal-sized window, and
|
||||
outside you can see green rolling hills and small copses of trees fly
|
||||
by. The other seats on the small train car are all empty. The two of you
|
||||
are alone.</p>
|
||||
<p>“I cannot give you advice,” the Dude says. “But I can offer you
|
||||
experience.”</p>
|
||||
<p>They raise a hand and hold a loosely closed fist out over the table.
|
||||
The walls of the train become fuzzy and blurry, then translucent, and
|
||||
finally transparent. They disappear and you have the sensation of
|
||||
rocketing through space at dizzying speeds.</p>
|
||||
<p>The track splits ahead you. To one side, bound to one track is that
|
||||
which you desire to protect most. Bound to the other are the many.</p>
|
||||
<p>“You can choose safely here. It’s just a dream, after all.” The Dude
|
||||
opens their fist. The Twenty-one Fiver coin rests in their palm. “Heads,
|
||||
you steer the train into the many, sparing that which you love most.
|
||||
Tails, the opposite. You spare the many, and sacrifice that which you
|
||||
hold dear.” They hold the coin out to you.</p>
|
||||
<p>The train barrels toward the fork. “But choose quickly, lest the
|
||||
choice be made for you.”</p>
|
||||
<blockquote>
|
||||
<p>Alex scrambles from the wreckage of his mech, or what remained from
|
||||
the gore portal he’d just experienced. The thought of what had occurred
|
||||
made him grimace, which was an unusual state of affairs for an octopus,
|
||||
that is until Alex realized he seemed to be back in his own body.</p>
|
||||
<p>“Sunset, or perhaps rise? It’s hard to tell. Pretty though.. could be
|
||||
prettier without the creepy knife dude.” Alex mutters to himself while
|
||||
he rummages through the destroyed cockpit of the mech. He makes quick
|
||||
work, detaches a side panel, pulls a couple of wires, and a compartment
|
||||
in the back opens revealing the smooth dark blue metal and wood grain of
|
||||
an ak74u sub machine gun. Amused Alex pulls the weapon from the
|
||||
compartment and notices a distinct lack of additional magazines, just
|
||||
the one large drum attached to the weapon with large red letters
|
||||
emblazoned on it [INFINITE AMMO]. “Neat.”</p>
|
||||
<p>Alex pulls himself from the wreck, and jumps down behind one of the
|
||||
fallen tentacles taking a firing position behind cover, ak74u aimed down
|
||||
range at the faceless figure.</p>
|
||||
<p>“I don’t know who you are, but I don’t trust anyone who approaches
|
||||
with a weapon. Let’s both stand down and talk this through! I’m not
|
||||
supposed to be here, and I reckon you don’t want me here either. I’d be
|
||||
happy to oblige and skidaddle if you’d be so kind as to point the way
|
||||
out!” Alex pauses waiting for a reply.</p>
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
<p>The tall figure halts a short distance away. It raises a hand and
|
||||
waves. In greeting? Surrender? In a fluid motion it continues to lift
|
||||
the same hand and grabs a hold of its trunk, a little less than a foot
|
||||
from the tip. It squeezes its fist tightly and the tip begins to swell.
|
||||
It raises its other hand, and the knife, and starts to saw into the
|
||||
flesh of the trunk behind its fist. The blade cuts cleanly as though
|
||||
through a loaf of bread. There is no blood or gore.</p>
|
||||
<p>When the creature lowers its hand, you can see that the center of the
|
||||
trunk is a solid, bright pink fleshy material like a grapefruit, in the
|
||||
center of which are two pin-prick eyes and a wide thin gash of a
|
||||
mouth.</p>
|
||||
<p>It still holds the tip of its severed trunk in its hand, a thin stalk
|
||||
and a bulging cap looking for all the world like a large white button
|
||||
mushroom. Peering up from the stem of the mushroom, an identical pink
|
||||
face regards you stoically.</p>
|
||||
<p>Both faces speak at the exact same time, one high pitched and one a
|
||||
deep baritone. “Welcome, Dreamer, to Ousia, the Sea of Dreams. We are
|
||||
Kasutva.”</p>
|
||||
<p>Big Kasutva stoops down to set the small mushroom Kasutva down on the
|
||||
ground. If they’re both Kasutva, that is. If that’s the way their
|
||||
biology and sense of self actually works. Mushroom Kasutva wobbles side
|
||||
to side a little bit and waggles its stalk as it looks around. Big
|
||||
Kasutva places its knife back in its satchel and takes a few small steps
|
||||
closer to you.</p>
|
||||
<p>“We did not mean to offend you,” the two say, still perfectly in
|
||||
sync. “As for the way out, that depends only somewhat on your
|
||||
destination. Whatever the answer, we can assure you that it lies across
|
||||
the sea.” Large Kasutva gestures broadly toward the expanse of ocean.
|
||||
Small Kasutva lacks any limbs and cannot gesture, but smiles softly at
|
||||
you.</p>
|
||||
<p>“But tell us what it is you seek. Perhaps we can be of help.”</p>
|
||||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
||||
<h2 id="spoilers">Spoilers</h2>
|
||||
<details>
|
||||
<summary>
|
||||
|
|
|
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Reference in New Issue